Two accomplished New York rappers in their forties portray two newbie New York rappers in their twenties – that's the simplest way to explain this typically complex album from two members of De La Soul. Their tale starts in the late Nineties as the pair hang in a basement and dream of rap careers, while one guy's mom heckles them. A live band revives the exuberant feel of Seventies funk – scratchy guitars and surging bass – as the story grows and sours: The fictional MCs get signed, have a hit, bicker and break up –it’s Behind the Music, but funnier.

Listen To De La Soul's Plug 1 and Plug 2's  "We Made It":

Related
• Photos: Random Notes

“All Along the Watchtower”

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."